2015 Archive Stories Fast Food Maven

Brandi Milloy, host of PopSugar’s “Eat the Trend” video series, is known for making decadent recipes in her instructional videos: doughnut chips, Oreo churros, ramen burgers and truffle mac and cheese. But don’t let her svelte figure fool you; these are her recipes for foods she loves to eat. “I am su

Naugles will not be open July 31.
Here's the comment posted by owner/spokesman Christian Ziebarth on the company's Facebook fan page on Thursday night:
"Wow! Thank you everyone for the phenomenal support you have shown us over the past few days. Naugles fans are the greatest. As part of our sof

Raising Cane’s, a Southern fast-food chain known for its simple menu of fried chicken tenders, has broken ground on the first of three locations planned to open this year in Orange County.
A restaurant in Costa Mesa, at 3150 Harbor Blvd., will be the first Raising Cane’s to open in California as the Louisiana-based chain marc

Fresh & Easy confirmed plans Wednesday to close three more Orange County grocery stores, as it continues to downsize in an ever-challenging Southern California supermarket industry.
The locations, to close by the end of the week, are in Fountain Valley, Lake Forest and Seal Beach. They are among 14 slated for closure by the El Segund

The long-defunct Naugles opened this week in Fountain Valley, marking the comeback of a beloved Mexican fast-food brand that disappeared in the 1990s after a merger with Del Taco.
The opening in a tiny industrial storefront was meant to be quiet – with news released only to “social media” fans in recent days, co-owner C

After bringing exceptional jazz musicians to its Fullerton stage for 21 years, Steamers Jazz Club and Cafe closes its doors after a final jam session Thursday.
“It’s going to be bitter sweet,” owner Terrence Love said. “It will be like mourning the loss of a family member.”
Love, 61, said he’s

Joe’s Italian Ice, a popular roadside frozen treat stand in Garden Grove, will close in late summer to make room for a hotel and conference center on Harbor Boulevard.
The red, white and green dessert shack, known for serving authentic Philadelphia style fruit-flavored “water ice,” has been a fixture on Harbor since it

With all the burgers, poutine, truffle parmesan fries and heavy pasta dishes on Project West’s menu, one important element seems missing: Beer.
“We’re in the making, (we’re) becoming a gastropub,” restaurant co-owner Tedmund Nguyen, said.
In June Nguyen and co-owner Anthony Hoang opened their

After 3 1/2 hours of nonstop eating, I can feel my stomach shutting down.
I’ve sampled a dozen sweet and savory fried foods at the San Diego County Fair and my digestive system is working overtime processing crazy creations like deep-fried coffee, a caviar-topped Twinkie and a sticky Fireball whiskey doughnut.
Every year, t

On Friday, Uber will work with local ice cream purveyors from around the world to deliver ice cream to doorsteps using their vast car network.
In Orange County, Uber is partnering with Dippin’ Dots. For $20, customers can get a variety pack of five, 3-ounce cups of the flash-frozen ice cream bits. Flavors include: chocolate, vanill

Last updated: 7/23/15 Latest Orange County restaurant closures
(Note: Information is based on Register staff reporting, and verified reader tips. The date of the closure and the reason for shutting down are listed when available.)
Got a tip on a closure? Post a comment here or email me at

The latest chef to exit a top-reviewed local restaurant is Michael Campbell of Pueblo, a Spanish tapas restaurant at South Coast Collection in Costa Mesa.
Campbell’s departure was “mutual and amicable,” the Pueblo management team told the Register.
Campbell, trained in Catalan cuisine and formerly of Michael Min

A life-size cow statue. Alcohol-infused milkshakes. A selection of 400 craft beers.
If you were a fan of the white tablecloth elegance of Charlie Palmer at Bloomingdale’s, you’re in for a 180-degree about-face when Holstein’s Shakes & Buns of Las Vegas opens next month in the former fine dining establishment.

In Orange, rumors spread faster than a wind-whipped brush fire, especially when it comes to changes in the city’s historic downtown.
That was true earlier this month when residents learned Watson Drugs & Soda Fountain, a local institution, had been sold. On a community Facebook forum, one resident pronounced the permanent closu

The Village at Orange, a neighborhood mall struggling to keep up with rival regional centers, is embarking on a $20 million makeover that includes adding destination retailers and restaurants.
This week mall owner Vestar revealed the latest slate of tenants coming to the decades-old mall: Petsmart, The Habit Burger Grill, Buffalo Wild Wi